Reading Michael Berg's comments about the man who beheaded his own son made me remember an unresolved mystery.

In a story Wizbang broke hours before the national media, Nick Berg was under investigation by the FBI for another "chance encounter" with an international terrorist, Zacharias Moussaoui... The FBI was investigating why Berg gave Moussaoui his password for his computer account at his university.

At the time Michael Berg downplayed the whole thing and bashed George Bush.

But Philly.com (in a link now dead, see previous Wizbang story) had some more information:

Some of those details have not been reported before, including:

The FBI apparently conducted a lengthy investigation of Berg in captivity because they were checking out a possible friendship or other tie with an Arab at the University of Oklahoma who was under scrutiny in connection with the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

The source said that in addition to his passport, cash and a laptop, Berg had two books when he was arrested in Mosul on March 24 that aroused suspicion: the Koran and a book that authorities somehow interpreted as "anti-Semitic."

Friends say it's unlikely that Berg, a practicing Jew, would have carried an anti-Semitic book but that reading the Koran and other local texts was very much in line with his intellectual curiosity.

Berg stubbornly refused American offers of assistance in getting home - including an offer of free airfare, cash and an American escort. He told authorities before his April 6 release that he was eager to get back to work seeking contracts in Iraq, telling U.S. authorities "he was losing thousands of dollars in jail."

At the time -working with more knowledge that I had before the big media but did not run with- I called Berg "dirty." I later said I spoke too soon. I'm still not sure I wasn't right.

There are still thousands of an unanswered questions about what Nick Berg was doing in Iraq. And how some kid from middle America "happened" to have such chance encounters with 2 of the most notorious people of our time.

We may never have all the answers.

But I posted this because there is one thing we know for sure. Michael Berg is a liar. Nick Berg was offered assistance getting out Iraq and refused. Michael Berg should quit blaming George Bush and consider blaming his pals the terrorists.

There have also been assertions that the Oklahoma bombers had contact with AQ agents in Indonesia and that's where they learned to make the big truck bomb. Personally I don't have any evidence of it nor do I necessarily believe this. So YMMV.

*shrug* it's entirely possible that Nick Berg, and many others, are converted muslims who don't follow the dress or dietary laws because they've been given an exemption in order to further the goals of Islam. This isn't new, it's done all the time.

Now we must all remember the MSM mantra. We are not allowed to criticize Michael Berg because his son was killed. We are not allowed to criticize Cindy Sheehan because her son was killed. We are not allowed to criticize the 9/11 band of 5 widows because their husbands were killed. Meantime, the MSM gives them all the space and camera time they want to spew their hatred for America and our President. It does not matter that these people sought out the publicity for their political agenda. We are told to keep our mouths shut and just listen to the MSM propaganda tools.

After hearing Mr. Berg this morning, it is clear his mind has been broken by hatred. Hopefully for Mr. Berg and his family, is a temporary affliction. The MSM, in the meantime, need to do the right thing and stay away from the man. Putting him on the air is unethical.

Further, Less, you may want to get your facts straight before asserting your fallacious "they do it too" arguments.

National media outlets do not take AP wire copy and stamp it with "Exclusive." Nor do they credit themselves with breaking stories that come from another news service. They may call it "breaking news," but they don't claim credit for breaking the story themselves.

I certainly don't think nick berg in any way expected to die. I don't think he expected it while he sat there ... something stinks with that... no one turns away help in a country at war unless they feel they are among friends. I think it is probably stupid to ask, but is that tape of his beheading real?

After Nick Berg's death Belmont Club urged a reading of the beginning of Greenmantle-- an early 20th cent. tale about a government spy. The future spy was cautioned that should he be caught, all knowledge of him would be denied.